1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a flushing apparatus for internal combustion engines, and more particularly concerns a novel adapter system for use in such apparatus, enabling the flushing apparatus to be connected to the oil drain pan and/or lubricating system of a large variety of internal combustion engines.
2. Description of Related Art
During operation of the internal combustion engine, oil, essential to operation of the engine, is taken from the oil pan, where stored, and circulated throughout the engine to lubricate the internal moving parts, including the crank shaft, cam shaft and pistons, to thereby minimize friction and wear of the engine's moving parts. For optimal engine operation and life, and for effective lubrication, the oil must be clean and maintain its lubricating qualities. To keep the oil free of the larger metal particles and dirt that inevitably are created and accumulate in the oil with continued engine use, a replaceable oil filter is carried on each engine. Additionally, to eliminate the more minute particles and acid that builds up in the oil, which the filter cannot remove, the engine oil pan is periodically drained and replenished with new oil; and a new oil filter is typically installed.
Even with such periodic maintenance not all the foreign particles are removed. Over time an oily "sludge" is formed within parts of the engine from such foreign particles, particularly in the oil drain pan. That sludge degrades engine performance. It also can release particles after the oil has been replaced, and the presence of those particles in the oil leads to premature engine wear.
To reach and remove that sludge without disassembling the engine, an engine flushing apparatus is known which treats the engine with a cleaning solution, circulating the cleaning fluid through the engine and oil drain pan from which the engine oil has been drained. In such an flushing apparatus a conduit, typically a hose, capable of withstanding fluid under pressure, is connected to the oil filter port leading to the engine's lubrication system. Another conduit is connected to the drain plug port at the engine's oil pan. The flushing fluid is circulated from the apparatus through one conduit, into the engine, whereby the fluid ideally dissolves the sludge and collects any foreign particles in suspension. The flushing fluid exits the engine with the dissolved and suspended waste via the oil pan drain port and the second conduit, through which the now "dirty" flushing fluid is returned to the flushing apparatus for further processing or disposal.
Such conventional flushing apparatus continues circulating the cleaning fluid for a prescribed treatment period, which is a standard duration, irrespective of the make and model of the automobile. Since the size and type of oil filter port and oil pan drain port differs from automobile manufacturer to manufacturer and even amongst different models or model year of a single auto manufacturer, the prior flushing apparatus includes a necessary set of associated adapters to permit connection of the conduits to the respective oil filter and drain plug ports of the vast majority of automobile engines.
One conventional oil filter mounting assembly typically contains two oil conduits or passages, one formed through the hollow of the threaded mounting post, which leads from the oil filter to the crankshaft and other moving parts within the engine block, and at least one additional passage alongside, which leads to the engine oil pump. The cleaning solution being pumped by the flushing equipment through the oil filter is divided in the adapter and flows through both passages, cleaning the rocker arm assembly and the like accessible to the fluid through the first port passage, and cleaning the oil pump accessible through the second port passage. Typically the flushing equipment controls, among other things, the duration of flushing fluid flow, fifteen minutes, for example, and all automobile engines, no matter what make or model, receive the same fifteen minute duration of treatment.
It has been found that threaded connections between filter port adapters and an engine filter port can lock or seize up when the threaded connections of a filter port universal coupling member and filter port adapter work against each other during removal from an engine filter port, which can damage the threaded connections of the filter port adapters, and can make removal and disassembly of the flushing apparatus difficult and time consuming.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a lubrication adapter assembly that can be coupled together to provide for sealed fluid communication between an engine and a flushing apparatus, and that can be readily disassembled after flushing of an engine, without locking or seizing up of the adapter assembly.
In fitting adapters to the engine, one finds that the many components and accessories packed in the engine compartment of modern automobiles provide formidable obstructions to connection of the flushing apparatus to the oil filter port and to the oil drain pan port. Accordingly, it would also be desirable to provide configurations for adapter assemblies for the oil filter port and for the oil drain pan port that can more easily fit in restricted spaces of an engine compartment during the flushing operation. The present invention meets these needs.